Working at Hft

Working at Hft

At Hft we’ve been providing person-centred support for people with learning disabilities since the early 1960s. Our commitment goes beyond being just a high quality support provider. We work in partnership with the people we support, their families and carers, and health professionals to develop effective services that will help people live the life they choose.

Our staff are central to this, so we work hard to ensure that they consider themselves partners too, treated fairly and with respect throughout their careers with Hft. The value that we place on our staff is reflected in the Investors in People Silver accreditation we hold – an internationally recognised sign of a great employer and an outstanding place to work.

Diversity, Equal Opportunities and Inclusion

We’re committed to promoting diversity, welcoming applications from all areas of the community, and valuing what everyone contributes. We treat people equally and without discrimination whether with regard to gender, sexual orientation, age, race, beliefs, culture, chosen lifestyle, disability or for any other reason. This approach applies to the people we support, their families, Hft staff, and others with whom we have contact, as we recognise that sharing different perspectives, ideas and approaches leads to better decisions and a stronger, more representative organisation.

Our employee handbook spells out our five aims for ensuring that we actively promote equality and diversity in our workplace: –

Hft will actively develop services that reflect and meet the diverse needs of the society in which we live.

We are committed to promoting equality and social inclusion throughout Hft. This is consistent with our vision, mission and values, and with our strategic plan, as endorsed by the Trustees.

We will further develop our networks and partnerships to achieve this.

We will extend and adapt the way we work to enable greater access by members of ethnic minority communities.

We will direct our approaches to the recruitment and management of staff to reflect the communities in which we deliver services.

Being inclusive in our approach helps us create an environment in which a diverse range of people can enjoy working together effectively.

This approach is also reflected in our commitment to the government’s Disability Confident scheme, which demonstrates our willingness to go the extra mile to make sure that disabled people get a fair chance at joining our team.

Training and development

“I’m really grateful to Hft for giving me the opportunity to develop my career through continuous work-based learning. Initially I started out as a relief support worker 21 years ago, but by achieving the relevant qualifications, I’ve been able to progress to my current Registered Cluster Manager role today”

Judy Johnson – Registered Cluster Manager

Supporting our staff to develop within their roles and progress their careers is important to us. We combine a range of formal training programmes and experiences to enable people to grow. Every member of staff is given comprehensive induction training, and offered on-going training and support tailored to their needs to ensure we continue to offer excellent levels of service and standards.

Our Partnership Forum

In 2013, managers and employees within Hft launched the Partnership Forum to ensure the success of an agreed commitment to work together in partnership to achieve shared aims, objectives and outcomes for the benefit of Hft.

At Hft, staff vote-in Partnership Forum representatives who then meet regularly with senior managers and act as the ‘voice’ of the teams they represent, whether in providing views on strategic plans, or consulting on potential changes.

Since 2013 our Partnership Forum has gone from strength to strength, and is now acknowledged as an essential part of the organisation’s decision making process, trusted by staff, and respected by senior management.